MyTurn/YourTurn: Toys
With Christmas coming up, we’re starting to have conversations at our house about what the kids want for Christmas. My daughter really surprised us by telling us about something that my wife and I had never heard of. She’d seen commercials for it, and recited all of the reasons why it was such a cool toy. Sadly, it was the Aqua Dots Super Studio. We won’t be putting that on the Christmas list, but it is fun to try to think of the perfect gift that will bring the kids hours of fun.
YourTurn:
1. What is the toy that you remember bringing you the most joy as a kid?
2. What’s something that you dreamed and dreamed about getting? Did it live up to your expectations when you finally got it?
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About This Blog
In Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, the central character dies an early death. Emily is given the chance to revisit a day of her life and is advised by those in the afterlife to pick an ordinary day, warning her that she might be overcome otherwise. Still, Emily is overwhelmed with emotion as she recognizes how wonderful the everyday details of her existence were. Her daily routine takes on new significance now that it is gone. Through her tears, she asks:
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it– every, every minute?
With this blog, I am trying to fully “realize” my life by documenting the things that I love. I want to appreciate and examine my past and present, as well as plan actively for the future.
I hope to accentuate the positive in my life and in the world around me, with the hope that by focusing on the positive, I will draw more positive elements into my life. Or, at least, realize all of the blessings that I do have.
Bob, the author of this blog, is a 33 year old husband, father, son, teacher, Christian, and liberal.
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Before I answer the questions, I have one for you — Why no Aqua Dots Super Studio?? Too great a likelihood that those dots would end up in Eli’s nose and/or all over the house?
1. I don’t know if it’s considered a “toy,” but our backyard swimming pool would be at the top of the list.
2. Definitely the Barbie Dream House! It totally met my expectations and then some.
I had 2 or 3 of the old 12″ G.I. Joes that I really loved. I even got mom to help sew new shirts for those li’l dudes. I’ve heard that they’ve reintoduced the classic G.I. Joes and I’m really tempted to get a set for my soon-to-arrive son.
I also really enjoyed Legos. And still do. One of those odd skills that I possess is a very keen knack for spatial relationships. I can rearrange the furniture in a room mentally and know whether it’s going to fit before ever lifting a thing. And I’m a packing guru – my wife just sets out what she wants packed and stands back. A great deal of this, I attribute to Legos and other “building” toys that I had as a child. I sometimes think I shoulda been an architect…
But maybe the best “toy” I ever had was my bicycle. I still ride a bike occasionally and it always brings me back. I still remember vividly how liberating that bike was. It was more than transport – it was freedom on swift wheels!
As our adoption nears completion and Christmas approaches, my wife & I have been talking quite a bit about gifts. Neither of our families were remotely affluent, so birthday and Christmas gifts were sparse. And yet, maybe because we weren’t showered with dozens of toys the way kids are now, the toys we did receive were more meaningful – more special…
Bob, I was also excited about Aqua Dots…especially since it was my 4 yr old son who wanted one. It was the only toy in the catalog he showed me that I was excited about. It was also one of the few non-fighting toys he showed interest in. Sigh.
–>DC Brownie, the product has been recalled because when swallowed it’s much worse than a choking hazard…the chemicals in the beads change to form the “date rape drug” (GBH) and at least two kids have gone into a coma because of it. I know it sounds like an urban legend, but unfortunately it isn’t.
1. I’m with Rob on this one. My red white n’ blue 1976 banana seat bike. Hands-down the best gift I ever received as a child. I was 8 years old and rode that bike for years.
2. I actually saved up my own money to buy this coveted toy. It was a barbie doll that tanned under bright light (sun or lightbulb). She also had a head of hair that changed from blonde to brunette by rotating. I played with it for about a week and then I tired of it. My daughter did the exact same thing with a “realistic” crying baby doll she wanted so badly. One week after grandpa and nana gave it to her, she forgot all about it. The gimmicky toys just don’t have long-term play value.